


Storm Warning

by BlueEyedArcher



Series: The Adventures of Officer Park and Officer Upshur [4]
Category: Outlast (Video Games)
Genre: Cop!Miles, Cop!Waylon, Fluff, Host Eddie, Implied Chris x Eddie, M/M, Misunderstandings, Shelter from the Storm, Storms, Tea in the rain, Waylon doesn't take hints well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-07 04:07:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12225450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueEyedArcher/pseuds/BlueEyedArcher
Summary: Waylon is alone and takes shelter from a bad storm in Eddie's shop, seeking companionship and a warm cup of tea with the large charming man.





	Storm Warning

**Author's Note:**

> You know the drill. Drop a comment down below to let me know what you think and if you want me to keep going with this. 
> 
> Please read from the beginning of the series so you understand what's currently going on otherwise you'll miss out and be lost. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Enjoy!

It was pouring rain out just as the forecast said and Waylon was all on his own for patrol today. At least for the first few hours of the morning. Miles was back at the Precinct preparing for his physical evaluation. It was a surprise sort of deal where the superiors like to make sure you’re still capable of doing your job properly and within a timely fashion. And nobody knows when they have one until the night before when the Evaluation papers are placed on their desk the night before. They’re to be filled out and the chosen participant is to report to the training room first thing at 07:00 am for a debriefing of their morning. Waylon was expecting his own evaluation papers to come soon after Miles since they always did the partners in the same month. He wasn’t too worried about it. Miles was quick thinking and more than fit for the job. Though that didn’t stop him from griping at his partner all night about it.

 

When everything was finished, Waylon was to pick Miles up from the precinct for lunch then they’d finish the rest of the day off with patrolling together again. It was their usual routine on these days. Though Miles lucked out with the weather. The heavy downpour and occasional bouts of lightning and rolling thunder causing everything to tremble would force the evaluation to take place indoors meaning the much easier indoor training course track. It consisted of an indoor firing range, a lap course and they would probably set up an obstacle course of some type with mats and benches to test his endurance and physical strength.

 

Waylon on the other hand was dreading his evaluation. His skills were more technical based, not saying he wasn’t an athletic person, just when compared to Miles, he was the nerdy kid in high school and Miles was the track star everyone looked up to. That and Waylon hated tests. It made everything harder and him more likely to fuck up from nervousness. He leaned over the steering wheel of his cruiser and sighed, his head resting on the grips, his blue eyes turning up to stare out the water logged windshield of the cruiser. The whir of the wipers going back and forth like the noisy hands on a clock. The radio was turned on down low and the dispatch system was on medium volume as he listened to the rain pelt the sleek exterior of the vehicle. The light drizzle that started the morning had continued to escalate and would quickly become a vicious storm in no time by afternoon. Hopefully by then he’ll have Miles by his side before the flooding of accident calls comes rushing in.

 

He pushed himself upright again and ran his fingers through his hair, the bandages on his hands snagging small strands here and there, drawing a wince from his features and a sigh. He glanced over at his half empty cup of coffee, trying to think of what he could do with his time between now and then. His eyes scanned over the closed laptop beside the center console, fixed into the dashboard and easily maneuvered for working on reports or looking up subjects in the police database.It was faster than the old ways of calling back to dispatch to relay information and hope that the storm didn’t cause a static shudder on the radio and have to repeat it all once again. This way was more user friendly and somewhat fool proof. At least for Waylon it was.

 

He opened up the laptop and spotted the last report he was working on. He had been updating the one Mr. Gluskin filed about the vandalism of his shop. There was a notes area that Waylon had been inputting information into. Chris Walker, the previous suspect in the case was cleared of suspicion and his alibi confirmed with his employer. He had been out of town that whole weekend and didn’t get back in until late that afternoon.

 

Waylon tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in thought before coming up with a better idea of how to spend the morning. Even if it was just an excuse to do something as well as not to spend the morning alone. He put the cruiser into drive and started on his way out of the parking lot of Lisa’s cafe and made his way down main street. It wasn’t long before the graffitied exterior came into view from his windshield. There were lights on inside the Bridal Shop, one being the OPEN sign, with it’s red and blue neon lights glaring through the grey daylight haze and ceaseless rain. Thunder rolled through the heavy blanketing of dark grey, almost black clouds up above and not a single shred of sunlight made it through to the small rural town below. All in all, it was a very depressing day.

 

Waylon turned off the cruiser and sat there, staring out the driver side window, contemplating making a mad rush to the covered sidewalks. The awnings giving the bare minimum of protection from the unforgiving rain. He watched in his side view mirror as people darted from one awning to the next, leaving the bank across the street and playing leap frog to get to the cars nearby. Some were sprinting from the post office with the morning newspaper clutched tightly in hand to cover themselves as they ran for shelter.

 

With a silent countdown in his mind, Waylon through open the door and slammed it shut, making his own mad dash to the sidewalk to avoid the rain despite his water resistance police issued coat, he still much rather not be soaked when he was already cold enough as is. He shook out the water from his sandy blonde locks and dusted the gathering droplets from his shoulders, drenched from the short twenty seconds of exposure to the elements. He turned to the door and pushed it open. The small bell above chimed softly like a whisper in the tranquil atmosphere of the shop. A soft melody danced throughout the building and lightly scented candles burned a comfortable autumn scent of apple cinnamon with a floral undertone. The lighting added a certain ambiance that warmed Waylon to the core on such a dark and chilly day.

 

In the back of the shop, Waylon spied the large form of Mr. Gluskin sat comfortably beside a sewing machine, hand stitching floral patterns into a delicate sheer cloth for a special order customized veil. He had his legs crossed at the knee and the veil resting in his lap, the needle in hand working with such familiarity that it was fascinating. Watching the considerably large male weave such a delicate needle in and out, creating the most beautiful patterns he’s ever seen outside of a ritzy expensive magazine.Eddie was humming softly along to the light music that was going on and seemed completely immersed into his own special little world.

 

Waylon found it hard to try and find the right time to announce himself, afraid the larger male might prick himself with the needle if he was startled. After another minute or so of watching, Eddie finished the pattern and sat the needle aside to inspect the veil and ensure it looked right. Waylon chose that moment to knock lightly on the entryway frame causing Eddie to jump with a start and nearly drop the veil in hand. The large man was up on his feet and whirled around in surprise to find the officer standing there. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Waylon said quickly, holding up his hands in a harmless fashion as he apologized.

 

“It’s quite alright darling.” Eddie’s expression softened when he took in who it was that was in his shop on a day with such terrible weather. Waylon could feel the larger male’s deep blue eyes roaming over his soaked form. A few water droplets that had collected in his sandy blonde locks were dripping down his shoulders and back. The occasional droplet sliding down Waylon’s neck like a teasing finger that drew a shiver from his form. The tailor’s eyes trailed up to the bandage on the side of Waylon’s face and the many smaller ones on his hands. His brows knitted with concern.”What happened to you?”

 

It had only been a couple days since Eddie saw the smaller blonde officer and his counterpart, whom he was glad wasn’t tagging along today from the looks of it. His thoughts wandered for a moment as he tried to gauge where these wounds had come from and wondered if the pair had an altercation with Chris Walker that went south fast. But Waylon didn’t seem too damaged so it couldn’t have been Chris. “Oh, it’s nothing to worry about. Hazards of the job and all.” Waylon brushed the questions off with a carefree smile.

 

“I see.” Eddie said softly, setting the veil aside on his work space as he started towards Waylon. “Would you like some tea Officer?” Eddie offered as Waylon stepped back from the doorway to let him pass. The larger male paused, looking down over Waylon’s smaller form, taking in the paler complexion against the dark material of the officer’s uniform. Personally, Eddie thought pastels would complement Waylon far better than the dark navy’s and blacks of police issued wear. It would certainly bring out those pretty blue eyes in the younger man.

 

“Oh, thank you. That would be nice actually.” Waylon flushed, noticing just how close Eddie was to him. Unlike when dealing with Chris Walker who was all around terrifyingly intimidating to Waylon, Eddie’s size wasn’t as scary. Waylon couldn’t quite place his finger on why but he had some guesses. One being the sort of profession Eddie had, working on dresses all day long but it could have also been his charming behavior or even that infectious smile that played across his features. Or the smooth honey words that dripped from his lips. Waylon forced those thoughts away as his blushed only deepened and his own embarrassment was starting to make itself known on his cheeks with the pink hues rising to the surface. He was thankful for the cold weather that he could easily brush it off as a result of exposure to the dreaded chill of autumn.

 

Eddie beckoned Waylon to follow with a graceful wave of his hand, urging Waylon to go around behind the receptionist desk where there was a doorway. Beyond that was a set of stairs that led up to a second floor area with a living space. It looked like a cozy studio apartment made for one. The upstairs, much like the ground floor was decorated in the same white lighting and autumn colored floral decorations. The furniture was comprised of whites and blacks with black leather as the majority. The centerpiece of the entire room was a living room space with plush black leather cushions and white pillows for decoration, hand embroidered with intricate patterns that were beautiful enough to maintain a feminine flair but contrasted nicely with the bolder more masculine furniture design.

 

The kitchen had black metal bar stools with white cushion seating which Eddie directed Waylon to take a spot at. Waylon slipped off his jacket to rest over the back of the chair and air dry, mindful not to leave wet spots on the dark wood flooring. He leaned forward against the counter, feeling surprisingly comfortable in the space of another stranger. Normally he was paranoid or on edge when in someone else’s home. Always watching around corners and doorways for unsavory characters, mostly because of the training drilled into him at the academy. Yet, something about Eddie made him feel safe and comfortable as if he were in his own home or even at Miles’ place.

 

Eddie filled a kettle with water at the sink and set it on the stove to heat up. Speaking to Waylon as he moved to gather two mugs from the cabinet above the sink, the dark wood matching the floors and the rest of the living space. “So officer, what brings you here?” The conversation was light and easy in comparison to the raging storm outside.

 

Waylon opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by another rumble of thunder, this time it was longer and actually made the walls and counter top quake from the force. Waylon could tell it was getting worse outside and he didn’t need a window to see it. The rain was hitting the rooftops and windows so hard it was clear as day to hear each individual raindrop as that joined a symphony of water cascading off the buildings and draining out onto the streets. Waylon reached back on his belt to touch his radio and make sure it was on encase he was toned out or Miles called him back for pick up. “Please, call me Waylon.” He spoke softly before continuing. “I just thought I’d stop by and see how the cleanup was going and let you know that Chris Walker was ruled out as a suspect for the crime. He has an alibi but we have a few suspicions that it was just a couple young punks from the high school.”

 

“I see. Oh well then. I appreciate your efforts so far.” Eddie spoke, leaning against the counter across from Waylon, his arms folded across his chest as he eyed the smaller male up and down. Waylon gave a curt nod, not really sure what to say next, feeling the eyes on him spurred his nervousness and made it hard to find a topic. Instead a wavering silence fell between them, disrupted only by the rainfall and thunder streaking across the sky outside. The room lit up suddenly with a bolt of lightning that sent shivers down Waylon’s spine and had Eddie glancing towards a set of church style windows that gazed out over the main street and on a clear sunny day, could see right out at the mountains in the distance.

 

“I didn’t realize this place had a living area up above it.” Waylon said, breaking the silence before it could become unbearably awkward. His hands folded together before him, fiddling with the edges of the bandages on his fingers.

 

“Hm? Oh, yes. My mother owned the shop for some time and this area was used for storage. She spent many late nights working on gowns during the busier seasons so she had it turned into a functional living space.” Eddie explained as he took the kettle off the stove before the steam began to whistle and poured it into the mugs, setting the small herbal pouches in the water for the tea and soaking them to the right color before handing one to Waylon. “I’ve redecorated since then and made it into a nice place for me. It’s cheaper than owning a house elsewhere and saves on commuting.” The conversation didn’t seem to be the most positive topic for Eddie but he continued to speak about it in an almost neutral tone.

 

“It’s beautiful. It looks like it was done by a professional designer.” Waylon complemented before taking a sip of the hot tea. The warmth of the drink slid down his throat and spread throughout his body. It was a comfortable welcoming feel that relaxed him after the long cold morning. Finally thawing the places he thought would never warm today.

 

Eddie nodded, giving a genuine smile of appreciation at the compliment. He didn’t let very many people come up here to this space. It was a very important area to him that was safe and comfortable and the sort of place he could retreat to when things became too stressful or overwhelming. “Thank you Waylon.”

 

Waylon nodded and sipped at his tea in silence, Eddie doing much the same. This time it was comfortable and serene. He watched the steam slowly rise up between them from their mugs as he was lost in thought, his mind roaming over the events of the past few days and one thought stuck in the forefront of his brain, dancing on the tip of his tongue before he decided to take a gamble on it and ask. “Eddie, if you don’t mind my asking, what did you mean by your and Chris’ relationship? Before, when we first spoke.”

 

Eddie seemed to perk up at Waylon’s question and quietly considered how he could answer this properly without any misconceptions. He took a long contemplative sip from his mug til it was almost empty. The residual heat contained in the exterior helped keep his hands warm as he fiddled with the object in thought. “Chris and I’s relationship is…. complicated so to speak. We’ve known each other for several years now but Chris doesn’t seem to know when to take a hint.”

 

Waylon nodded in understanding, fidgeting nervously with the half full mug of tea in his hand. “I see.” He said in a soft wistful tone, his eyes fixed on the golden hued liquid within, watching it shudder as another powerful rumble of thunder quaked across the sky. Eddie examined the response Waylon gave, how he was hunched over the mug with his eyes down. He wondered if Waylon had actually misunderstood what he was saying but he didn’t get a chance to further explain when a sudden tune started to play, coming from Waylon’s breast pocket of his uniform. He jolted upright, startled by the sound and forgetting about the mug on the counter before him. His fingers fumbled with the button on the dark material as he dug out the lit up device that hummed and sang aloud obnoxiously in the delicate quiet of the studio.

 

“Hello?” Waylon answered the phone in a way that was far too familiar and comfortable for it to be anyone other than a loved one. The sight alone made Eddie a bit jealous of whoever was on the other end of the call. Waylon gave an apologetic smile to Eddie who waited quietly off to the side. It took a minute of Eddie watching as Waylon nodded and hummed in affirmation with the occasional ‘Yeah’ and ‘Uh-huh.’ before he finally hang up and slipped off the stool. Tucking the phone away into his pocket as he pulled his jacket over his shoulders. “I’m sorry about that. It was my partner, Officer Upshur. I’ve gotta run.” He took the mug and finished off what was left, not wanting to be rude and let it go to waste. “Thank you very much for the tea Eddie. It was lovely.”

 

“You’re welcome. Come by anytime.” Eddie smiled, receiving a genuine smile of appreciation and approval from the smaller male before he rushed down the stairs in a mad dash. A moment later, he heard the soft whisper of the bell chiming signalling that once again, Eddie was all alone.


End file.
